Back to the Beginning
by Dixie C Jones
Summary: There's lots of stories where Snape goes back to his first year at Hogwarts. But what if someone joined him? Peter drops something into Severus's potion that was meant for Voldemort, causing a potion explosion. But it did much more then that. It caused them to go back in time to their first day of school. Now they're determined not to lose their best friends, or become Death Eaters
1. Chapter 1

James was dead. Sirius was dead. Remus will hopefully survive this second wizard war but it wasn't looking good.

And it was all Peter's fault.

The guilt had been eating at him ever since he had told the Dark Lord where the Potters were, so much so that he just blocked himself off from them and the others. They just thought he was hiding from the Dark Lord. But then afterwards, when Sirius realized what had happened and chased after him, the guilt increased tenfold.

"You were a Marauder! We were you best friends!"

The guilt died down after he turned into a rat and lived with the Weasleys. It wasn't in any of the books they read when they were working on the transformations, though he guessed nobody ever tested it, but if you stay in your animal form for a long period of time, the animal instinct begins to take over. So by the time Sirius broke out of Azkaban, he wasn't thinking about his past. He was thinking about when his next meal was and where a good place for him to a nap. But the news of Sirius braking out and saying "He's at Hogwarts... He's at Hogwarts..." didn't do well for him. Everybody thought the black haired man meant James's son, Harry Potter, but he knew better. He knew his old friend was coming to get him, and his human mind broke out of his daze with guilt following.

Now he has been directly responsible for the return of the Dark Lord. There was no turning back to the side of light. He was done for until he died, which he will. He knew that his side wouldn't win and whether it was one of the good guys killed him or the Dark Lord, he will be dead in the next few years.

As it was he was trying to distract himself, and in the last ditch effort to not think about the war, he went to go see Snape. Peter was standing by the door of the dungeons, watching the potion master stir a lime green potion. He had no idea what it was but, then again, he was never good at Potions.

Snape stopped stirring and glanced at him, his default glaring expression on. "Is there a reason you're watching me, Pettigrew?"

Peter flinched at the glare but answered anyway. He refused to be afraid of someone they used to play pranks on. "I-I got bored..."

"You got bored." Snape sneered but turned back to the potion anyway. "Just don't get in my way." He stirred counterclockwise for a few moments; the clicking of the stirrer hitting the side of the cauldron was the only noise in the room. Soon, with the potion being dark green, Snape reached backwards to the shelf behind him, without looking, and started to feel for something, staring intently at the potion. Obviously he didn't find what he was looking for as he turned to look after a moment. He scowled as his eyes scanned over the contents of the shelf, only in which half could be identified by Peter.

"Don't touch anything Pettigrew. If I didn't have to get this done as soon as possible, I wouldn't leave you in here." Snape then left the room with those words and a swish of his cloak, making a bat appear in Peter's minds eye.

Peter shook his head to get rid of the image and looked at the potion. He couldn't really see it, other then the color, as he was shorter then Snape so the table was just a few inches too high to truly see the cauldron. But curiosity got the better of him and he was soon standing on his tip toes to see what the potion was. Now that he could see, he could tell that the dark green was slowly turning back to lime green. Of course, his luck kicked in and he lost his footing, bumping into the table. Luckily the cauldron was fine but the table knocked into the wall, causing a potion in a vile to fall from a shelf above and into the cauldron.

Peter panicked. He just ruined the formidable(read: freaking scary) Potion Master potion, and the blond had a sinking feeling it was for the Dark Lord. He jumped when he heard the tell tell footsteps of Snape coming down the steps and grabbed the now empty potion vile and cork out of the cauldron, now the same lime green color thankfully, and threw them into the corner before running back to the doorframe. He just got calm down by the time Snape came back in.

Snape raised an eyebrow, probably noticing something was wrong, before going over to the cauldron and dropping in whatever ingredient he got. The potion slowly turned from a lime green to bright purple. Snape blinked then glared at Peter, who flinched back.

"What did you do?"

"W-what makes you think I did something?" Peter pressed himself against the wall as Snape came closer.

"It's supposed to turn form green to black, not purple. Now. What. Did. You. Do?"

Peter was saved from answering, though he didn't think what happened was good thing at the time. The potion started shooting off sparks and glowing brighter purple. Snape noticed and slowly backed to the wall next to Peter. The blond looked at him.

"W-what is it doing?"

"Either it's just shooting off extra energy," Snape shook his head and scowled. "Or it'll take it a step farther and explode. Just hope that it'll won't be a big explosion if that happens."

Of course, the potion took the second option, probably just to prove Snape right and mess with them at the same time, and the two death eaters knew no more.


	2. Chapter 2

"Peter, honey, wake up."

Peter just snuggled deeper into the warm blankets. He didn't want to get up. He was too comfortable.

"Come on Peter. Your going to be late!"

Late? For what? He didn't remember having to do anything and if the Dark Lord decided to give him a job, the Death Eater who woke him up wouldn't call him 'honey' or even his first name. When did he go to sleep in the first place anyway?

"Peter Pettigrew! Get up this instance or you're going to be late for your first day of Hogwarts!"

He shot up out of the bed, startled at the loudness and sharp tone that appeared unexpectedly. All at once, the memories of Snape and the potion came to mind. What did that explosion do?! Either way, he was going to have to face a very mad Snape and Dark Lord. He was brought out of his thoughts by the voice that woke him up.

"Good, your awake. Ok, so it's 10 now. It's a good thing you packed last night, so all you need to do is take a shower and get dress while I'll go make you a quick breakfast. We have that portkey that I made last night, but even then we'll still be cutting it close. I could never get that license..." Peter had stopped listening at this point as he would rather stare. It was his mother. His DEAD mother, the one who died in his Seventh year. His mother, who hadn't noticed his shocked look he knew he had on his face, trailed off and began muttering under her breath about the plans for the morning. She walked out of the room, but not before telling him to hurry up and get changed.

Once his mother who was supposed to be dead left, he snapped out of his daze, if only barely, and started looking around. He couldn't believe it. He was in his old room, the one he lived in before it got the Death Eater attack that had also killed his mother destroyed it, along with the rest of the house. Again, what did that potion do?! Was... Was he dead? But why would he be in the same place as his mother? He certainly doesn't deserve to be in the same place as her. He quickly moved to the end of bed where he had a mirror(If he remembered correctly, he used it to avoid the hair touch ups he was given by his mother), and quickly checked his appearance.

Peter nearly gasped. He had expected that he would look like an eleven year old but seeing himself with less of an appearance of a rat(another side effect of staying as a rat for 12 years) was quite shocking. His eyes were less beady, the faint whiskers that he had were gone, and his teeth were not as buck as they were. Honestly, he looked more quite and mousy then a rat. Did that potion explosion really send him back in time? It did make sense. Why else would his mother be alive and talking as if it was his first day of school again?

"Are you dressed yet?" He heard his mother yell from the kitchen downstairs. Peter bit his lip but then stopped and quickly answered.

"Nearly."

He had gone back in time, to his first day of school. He had a chance to do his life over.

And Peter was determined to do it right.

xXx

"Come on! Wake up! Time for you and my sister to go to that freaky school!"

Severus was startled awake by a screeching voice he thought he would never hear again.

'Tuny?'

He grunted to let her know she can leave him alone and not start screeching again. He tried to remember what happened and almost at once, he remembered Pettigrew and the potion. Serverus growled automatically and started to shift so he could open his eyes to the lights he knew would be there and blind him(he realized he was on a couch and briefly wondered why. On that note, why was Lily's muggle sister there?), but stopped when he heard a voice he never thought he would hear again.

"Are you ok there Sev? I'm sorry Tuny's the one who woke you up but I couldn't find my transfiguration book."

He snapped his eyes opened and shot up from where he was lying. He WAS sleeping on a couch, specifically that Evans living room couch that he used to sleep on when things got too bad at home, and Lily-beautiful, healthy, ALIVE, Lily- was standing behind it, looking at him wih a mix of confusion and amusement.

"L-Lily...?" He asked, still staring at her. Lily blinked in confusion.

"Yes?"

"Y-You're alive..." He muttered. Lily looked at him with worry. She pressed her hand against his forehead.

"Yes I'm alive. You just saw me last night. Do you feel alright?"

Severus gulped. Lily was in front of him, alive and not mad at him. Actually, she looked only 11. Did that explosion send him back in time? Only one way to find out.

"I'm sorry, must have been a bad dream. I'm still half asleep, what day is it?" He asked. Lily chuckled, music to Severus's ears.

"It's September 1st. You know, first day of Hogwarts? Now get dressed and come on! Where going to be late!" She left the living room through the door the leads to the kitchens. Severus just sat there staring.

He didn't know whether to strangle or hug that rat. Pettigrew messing with the potion had let him go back in time, to his first year, to fix his mistakes, and he was going to take advantage of it.


	3. Chapter 3

Peter looked up and down the platform. He and his mother had made it to the platform with five minutes to spare and he was now looking for a glimpse of one of his old friends. He knew they wouldn't recognize him, they hadn't met him yet of course, but he had to see the proof that they were alive, and okay, and didn't hate him.

The first time around, Peter and the others didn't become friends until that first Christmas at Hogwarts, even if they had shared a room. Sirius and James hit it off right away but they viewed him and Remus as too quiet and nerdy, respectively. At Christmas, James and Sirius had gotten caught looking for the kitchens and Remus bailed them out, not wanting them to get in trouble, and Peter told them where the kitchens were the night after, as he had found the pear picture on Halloween.

And thus the start of the Marauders.

Of course they didn't find out about Remus's 'furry little problem' until second year but that was a bridge Peter would cross when he got there. Pettigrew was brought out of his thoughts by the train whistling and his mother hugging him goodbye. He hadn't realized he had just stood there for five minutes but now was about to miss the train. He quickly grabbed his trunk and climbed on the train, struggling up the stairs, as the trunk was heavy.

"Need some help?" Remus's voice came from behind him. Peter just nodded, not trusting his voice and the 11 year old version of his friend helped him pull his trunk into the train. Luckily too, because the train started to move right after. He took a deep breath to calm down and smiled at Remus.

"Thanks. I don't think I could of done that before the train started moving." Remus smiled back and Peter was struck at how young he looked. The scars that we're on his face weren't as defined and he didn't look as tired. Guilt washed over him again and he smile wavered for a moment. Did he do that to Remus? "Hey, do you want to sit with me?"

"Sure," Remus answered and they started walking down the hall to find a compartment. "My name is Remus Lupin. What's yours?"

"Peter Pettigrew." He answered as he looked into each compartment to find James and Sirius. They had to be here somewhere. Ha! There they are! "Hey, do you want to sit here? They seem nice."

Remus bit his lip but nodded anyway. Peter was glad he didn't have to argue to get his friend in. He knew he would never win a argument against the smarter werewolf and he didn't want to seem pushy. He opened the door and looked at his other old friends. Peter had no reference for James, but Sirius looked a lot less... dead. Without 12 years in Azkaban, the black haired boy looked more alive and less like a vampire.

"Hey, can we sit here?"

"Sure." James nodded and smiled as Peter and Remus sat down opposite of the other two boys. "The name's James Potter."

"Peter Pettigrew." Peter smiled.

"Remus Lupin." Remus looked nervous. He never was good at meeting new people when he was younger, Peter mused.

"Sirius Black." Sirius smiled but James looked at him.

"Black? You're a Black?"

*******Peter cringed. He had forgotten that James found out Sirius's last name on the train ride. He remember very clearly how quick James was to judge. He hoped this wouldn't effect anything.

But his fears were soon put to rest by Remus. "Are you really? The Blacks are a very dark family, right up there with the Malfoys."

"Yeah." Sirius grumbled. "But I'm nothing like my family." James blinked.

"What?"

"I'm not like my family." Sirius repeated. "I'm not dark and I'm fine with muggles. And I'm not going to be in Slytherin, no matter what I do."

James smiled and Peter sighed in relief. Crisis averted.

His sigh stopped short, however, when the door slide open. It hadn't crossed his mind that Snape had come back in time too.

xXx

"Hurry up, Sev!" Lily called back behind her. Severus stopped looking in the compartments for the Pettigrew and walked faster to catch up with the redhead. It had crossed his mind in Mrs. Evans car on the way to Kings Cross that the rat went back in time with him. Now Severus needed talk to him.

Oh well, he had the whole school year to corner Pettigrew. As long as they weren't in rival houses but Severus knew they weren't. He wasn't going to be in Slytherin, not this time. But where he was going to be, well, that was for the hat to decide.

Glancing into another compartment, he found who he was looking for. He looked back at Lily.

"Why don't you find us an empty compartment? I think I dropped the money my mom gave me before we left."

"Do you want me to help you look?" Lily asked, and Severus gave her a small smile.

"No thank you, Lily. I got it."

Lily smiled back and nodded, continuing down the hall to an empty compartment. Severus turned and opened the door to Pettigrew's compartment, and noted with annoyance that he has already become friends with the other three Marauders. He also noted with amusement the look of horror that passed on Pettigrew's face as he opened the door all the way.

It seems he had only now thought of the fact that Severus had come back in time too.

_**Not much happened in this chapter but it will get better! And thank you to my beta, Nega Patronus!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Peter looked at Snape, trying to figure out a way to get out of the compartment without the others wondering how he knew the black haired boy. Luckily, Snape had already thought of a plan.

"Oh, you're the boy from the Leaky Caldron that bumped into me. I have the book you dropped if you want it."

"Um.. Yes thank you." Peter squeaked as he stood up. He addressed the others. "I'll be back in a bit, ok?"

They all agreed and Peter saw James and Sirius looking at Snape in distrust. Remus was just looking at the black haired boy with curiosity.

Peter followed Snape down the hall a bit and finally got a good look at him. It struck Peter how young he looked and he just shook his head, wondering if that was going to happen with everyone he saw again. After a minute, Snape stopped and turned back to face him.

"Pettigrew, you do know that if anything else had happened with that explosion, I would be trying to murder you right now."

Peter gulped and nodded yes. He knew that very well. He took a deep breath and said, interrupting whatever Snape was about to say, "Is that the only reason you made me come out here?"

"No." Snape said, narrowing his eyes at being cut off. "I was going to say, that as much as we don't like each other, we have a common goal. You want to protect your friends and I want to protect Lily. We, however, cannot do that if we are fighting."

"Are you saying we need to work together?" Peter asked, confused and shocked that Snape of all people would suggest this.

"Yes, though not until the Dark Lord starts gaining power, so we have about half a year, maybe a full one." Snape said then paused as if thinking about something before sighing. "And the first thing I'm going to do is Confund the hat."

Peter blinked. "What? Why?"

"So people can't ask for which house to be put in. I want to change this timeline as much as I can."

"But-my friends..."

"Don't worry. If they are really Gryffindors then they will still be in that house." Snape simply said before turning to walk away. "Oh." He stopped and threw a 1st year book into Peter's hands. "Here's the book you dropped in the Leaky Caldron."

Peter watched him go before looking at the book he held. 'Creative Uses for First Year Spells', was the title. Peter just shook his head, not knowing why Snape gave him this book, and went back to the compartment, mind whirling.

xXx

Severus looked at Professor McGonagall, who looked younger and he briefly pondered if it had anything to do with her not knowing the Marauders yet. He shook his head at the thought and Lily looked at him amused, as if she had known what he thought was amusing.

Soon enough, McGonagall led them into the Great Hall and Severus scanned over the tables. He saw Lucius Malfoy looking as regal as ever with his wife-to-be beside him and he realized that, besides the hair, eyes, and general attitude, Draco Malfoy took more after his mother. Pushing that thought back, he looked at the other tables and saw many faces he knew died in the first war.  
Bellatrix Lestrange – no, Black – Severus reminded himself, sat at the front of Slytherin table, eagerly anticipating the newest batch of First Years. Severus had always wondered if she looked for Slytherin allies, or just wanted to know her enemies from the other Houses.

Severus switched views and his gaze landed on the Gryffindor table. He sneered. There was Molly Prewett and her Muggle loving boyfriend Arthur Weasley, chatting as they waited for the Sorting to begin. He saw Dorcas Meadows near the front, an Order Member from the First War, Prefect Badge shining brightly on her school robes, sitting next to Benjy Fenwick who was a year above her and would be murdered by Voldemort. Speaking of him, Snape noticed Frank Longbottom sitting alone, secretly gazing at a pixie like First Year who Severus knew to be Alice Hawkins, Frank's wife.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the Sorting Hat song and hid his wand in his sleeve so it wouldn't be seen. Once the song was finished and McGonagall called the first name, Severus shot his spell.

Funny how this particular spell worked. Most spells that affect thoughts, like Imperio, can't affect objects, even if the object had awareness. The Confundus spell, on the other hand, would work on the hat, though only half way and only for a little while, about half the sorting. It would confuse the hat enough for it not to really take someone asking into consideration unless they had traits of the house they had asked for.

Black, Pettigrew, and Potter were all sorted into Gryffindor, much to Severus irritation. Lily and Lupin were sorted into Ravenclaw, though that didn't surprise Severus much as both were plenty smart enough, and then it was his turn.

"Oh, you were the boy to hit me with that Confundus spell, aren't you?" He heard the hat's voice in his head and automatically put his shields up. He heard the hat chuckle. "That won't help you against me. But don't worry, I'm spelled to not tell anyone what's in the kids head. But you aren't a kid, are you?"

"I suppose you're curious to what had happened to send me back?" Severus asked in his mind.

"I saw everything that happened because of that other boy, Peter Pettigrew. That was when I realized that you had Confunded me."

Severus cursed, regretting that he had told Pettigrew anything.

"But since you wanted me not to take the requests into consideration, I going to put you into..."

"Gryffindor!"


End file.
